Stop. Before you read any further I need you to ask yourself which you love more, Burger King or America. Because if your answer is America them by the end of this post you may not want to eat at Burger King ever again. So if you don’t want to be put into that kind of a Sophie’s Choice scenario your only option is to stop reading now. Okay, you’ve been warned. In this edition of Its the Economy Stupid we’re going to take a look at the most unpatriotic of all tax dodges: Corporate Inversion. What’s that you ask?…
Category: Discourse of the Day
In Theory- Trickle-down Economics
If there has been one constant in the American political system over the last hundred odd years it has been the Republican party’s unflinching belief in the trickle-down theory of economics and the Democratic party’s equally unflinching belief that trickle-down economics is complete horseshit. In this edition of In Theory, we will examine this economic theory for ourselves and try to figure out where the truth lies, with the Republicans, the Democrats, or somewhere in the middle. How its supposed to work: The concept behind Trickle-down economics is a simple one. If we reduce taxes on business and the wealthy…
The Silver Bullet – Curriculum 8
Eighth Grade: Eighth grade is a graduation year. Students will get a case of senioritis towards the end of the year so its important to cover important topics early and wrap up major projects towards the beginning of the fourth quarter. It is important to work these students hard and keep them engaged otherwise the prospect of high school and adulthood will lead these brand new teenagers astray. Math: Algebra 1: Expressions and equations, linear equations, graphing linear equations, linear inequalities, systems of linear equations, polynomials, factoring and quadratics, rational equations, radical equations, algebraic functions,converting word problems into multi-variable equations.…
The Silver Bullet – Curriculum 7
Seventh Grade: Seventh grade is a transition year. Students will solidify and expand upon things they have learned in their k-6 years, mastering key concepts before advancing to new ones. Students will adjust to changing teachers and classrooms and balancing their workload over the course of a week and a quarter. Math: Pre-Algebra: Students will be exposed to the early concepts of Algebra such as exponents, variables, and integers; while practicing and solidifying their proficiency in more complex problems of concepts they were introduced to in previous grades. Learning topics will include order of operations, place values, algebraic expressions and…
The Silver Bullet – Curriculum 5-6
Fifth Grade: Fifth grade is a very important year for students to achieve big steps forward in their education. It is a year without significant upheaval and is the last year before students hormones enter the mix. It is important for educators to take advantage of the lull between big life events to push for fuller, more comprehensive responses, thoughts, and reports. Much like kindergarten planted the seeds for grades 1-4, so does fifth grade lay the groundwork for grades 6-8. Math: Topics at this level include: Ratios and rates; multiplying and dividing decimals; percentages; areas of compound and complex…
Meanwhile in Countries Not Called America-Venezuela’s Economic Crisis
It’s no secret that Venezuela has been a mess for a while now. The country’s particular brand of Strongman Socialism has discouraged foreign investment and resulted in an economy that is almost entirely reliant on the nation’s oil production. This would be a precarious economic model under even the most ideal circumstances, but under the corrupt regimes of President’s Chavez and Maduro, it has proven to be downright disastrous. Back in 2003, Chavez replaced the executives of Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA with his own corrupt cronies. Their ineptitude and graft have resulted in a steady decline in Venezuela’s oil…
The Silver Bullet – Curriculum 3-4
Third Grade: Third grade is an unofficial graduation year. The lessons and methods of the students younger years are left behind as students are expected to be more independent in managing their workload. Learning topics cease to be general overviews and basic building block and are now more complete units with depth and details the students are expected to dive in to. Math: Topics will cover multiplication tables, long division, mixed operations, estimating and rounding, patterns, graphs and data, probability and statistics, fractions and decimals, area and perimeter. Science: This year students will focus on scientific investigation: lab tools, how…
In Theory- Urban Renewal
Urban Renewal. It has a nice ring to it. Investing in run-down metropolitan areas in order to spur growth and prosperity while cutting down on crime and blight. As far as sales jobs go you could find yourself pitching something a lot more unpopular than “less crime, more money” to those who dwell in decaying urban neighborhoods. But this is In Theory and like any good students of economics, politics, and sociology; you, my insightful readers, know that nothing is ever that simple. The idea behind Urban Renewal has evolved over the years. In the post-war period, it was straight…
Meanwhile in Countries Not Called America: A State of Emergency in Ethiopia
Africa’s second largest nation is no stranger to political unrest but the surprise resignation of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on February 15th has the potential to escalate an already volatile situation. Mr. Desalegn’s resignation comes after his failure to stem the tide of violent anti-government protests that have plagued the East African nation for years. To understand the current state of affairs it is important that I provide you with a little context. Ethiopia is ostensibly a federal parliamentary republic with a prime minister and a bicameral parliament. However, since this form of governance was first adopted in 1994 it…
It’s the Economy Stupid- Free Trade Agreements
The recent wave of economic nationalism to sweep across the world is a direct backlash against the forces of globalization that have been on the march since the fall of the soviet union. Nothing more epitomizes the globalization movement than negotiated Free Trade Agreements. From the Pan-Pacific Partnership to NAFTA, free trade agreements have been held up as the source of America’s economic woes by economic populists. With such a vehement contempt for these kinds of agreement saturating our national discourse I thought they warranted a closer look. First brass tacks, what exactly is a free trade agreement or FTA…